Method of and apparatus for truing out-of-round can bodies



May 15, 1956 J. DRYGULSKI 2,745,462

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TRUING OUT-OF-ROUND CAN BODIES Filed Nov. 28, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet l lli INVENTOR.

JOHN DEYGUL SK/ BY M 5612/ HTTOP/VEY May 15, 1956 J. DRYGULSKI 2,745,462

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TRUING OUTOF-ROUND CAN BODIES Filed Nov. 28, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 Q r V 4; INVENTOR. 29 4/ )7 V JOHN DPYGULj/U 3i gg 4 guy 1 M y 1956 J. DRYGULSKI 2,745,462

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TRUING OUT-OF-ROUND CAN BODIES Filed Nov. 28, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 mm, 1w. I im,

IN VEN TOR.

JOHN DFYGUA SK/ EMA/M r4 TTOE/VEYS United States Patent LETHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TRUILJG OUT-OF-ROUND CAN BDDIES 4 Claims. (Cl. 153-32) The present invention relates to a method of and apparatus for truing containers or can bodies and has particular reference to rounding-up cylindrical can bodies which have been deformed into an out-of-round condition during handling. This is a continuation-in-part of my application Serial No. 784,921 filed November 8,

' 1947, now Patent No. 2,558,741, issued July 3, 1951.

In the handling of cylindrical cans preparatory to filling them with a product or otherwise treating them, the open end of the cans sometimes become bent into an oval or otherwise out-of-round condition and thus prevents proper fittin and sealing of the covers onto the cans after filling. This is partly due to the fact that the open end of the can is not as strong and as rigid as its closed bottom, because the bottom of the can is reenforced by the end closure member which isv secured thereto. Such out-of-round cans, when encountered in a batch of round cans being fed automatically into the customary filling and sealing machines, are the source of considerable trouble since they jam and sometimes cause damage to the machines when the covers cannot be properly fitted into place and secured to the cans.

The present invention contemplates overcoming these difiiculties by the provision of a method of and apparatus for reforming out-of-round cans into a properly rounded or trued condition preparatory to filling and sealing.

An object of the invention is the provision of a method of and apparatus for truing cans wherein the cans are rotated by pressure applied to the rigid portion of the cans while other pressure is applied to the distorted yieldable portion of the cans to reform the distorted portion into a truely rounded condition so that the covers of the cans will properly fit into place on the cans after filling so as to insure proper sealing of the cans.

Another object is the provision of such a method of and apparatus for truing cans wherein out-of-round cans having radially projecting end seams at their closed ends and radially projecting flanges formed on their opposite open ends may be efiectively reformed into a true rounded condition for application of their covers thereto.

Another object is the provision of such a method of and apparatus for truing cans wherein simplicity of operations in the method and similar characteristics in the structure of the apparatus, insure economical and highly efficient results under high speed rates of production. I

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings: 7 d

. Figurel is a side elevation of an apparatus embodying the instant invention, with parts broken away;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken substantially along the line 22 in Fig. 1, with parts broken away;

Figs. 3 and 4 are enlarged sectional details of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1 and showing-a can in place,

Fig. 3 showing the can before being reformed into a true rounded condition, and Fig. 4 showing the can after being reformed; Figs. 5 and 6 are sectional details-of -modified forms of apparatus disclosed in Fig. 1, the views showing an out-of-round can in place in the apparatus for truing,

with parts broken away;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a further modified of the invention,with parts. broken away; and I Fig. 8 is a vertical section taken substantially along the line 88 in Fig. 7.

As a preferred embodiment of the instant invention the drawings illustrate a method of-andappara'tus for truing an out-of-round cylindrical sheet metal container or can A comprising a tubular body B. (Figs.. 3 nd. 4) having a rigid true round bottomC secured thereto at one end in a suitable radially projecting cndsearn- D and having its opposite yieldable end open and formed with a radially projecting flange E for the reception of a cover after the container is filled with anproduc't.

The method of truing such an out-of-round-can'com-, prises, as the first step, the rotation of the canon its longitudinal axis by pressure exerted against the outer. periphery of its rigid true round radially projecting end seam D. During this rotation of the can its longitudinal axis is maintained in a predetermined positionzparallel with'the path of travel of the can. This is for the purpose of rotating the out-of-round body of the can on the longitudinal am's of the entire can. While the canisi so rotated other pressure is exerted diametrically against its out-of-round body wall only and at a place betweenv the end seam and the flange of the can. This diametrical' pressure against the out-of-round body wall squeezes the; yieldable open end of the body-along its major diametrical' axis, slightly beyond its elastic limit and thereby causes. 7 the squeezed body wall to take a permanent set, substan i tially equal to the true diameter of the can.

1n the drawings Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 illustrate a preferred form of apparatus for carryin out the above method steps of truing out-of-round can bodies. This apparatus includes a pair of spaced and parallelwhee'ls which constitute a driving wheel 11 and a truing wheel'- 12,'which are formed on a hub 13 mounted on a driving shaft 14 journaled in bearings 15 carried in a pairaof. spaced and parallel upright frame members .16 whichf extend up 'froma base plate 17. The radius of thevtruingj' wheel 12 is greater than the radius of the driving wheel 11, by an amount substantially equal to the radial pro jection of the end seam D beyond the 'can body B," This difference in radii of the wheels 11, 12 provides between them a stepped relation which compensates for thedif ference between the outside diameter of the end seam D;

and the outside diameter of the body B and-.thuspro vides for contact with the seam and the out-of-round 'pQrtion of the body while the longitudinal axis of the can remains in a horizontal plane.

On their outer peripheries the wheels 11, 12 preferably carry a resilient tread 18 made of rubber, leathenor other suitable material for frictionally engaging against a can Ato be rotated and trued. This tread may be sunk intov a groove 19 in the circumference of the wheels 11, 12

as shown in the drawings, if desired. The wheels 11, 12 are continuously rotated, through the shaft 14, in

any suitable manner in a counterclockwise direction as tion 23. This track 21 is bolted to the base plate 17. The driving and truing track sections 22, 23 are disposed in radial alignment with the peripheries of the driving and Patented May 15, 1956 truing wheels 11', 12 and extend around the wheels in Rat elism therewith for substantially one half of their circumference.

The truing faceof the truing track section 23 is spaced inwardly 'from'the driving face of the driving track section 22 by ,an'amount, substantially equalqto the' radial projection of-the end-seam D beyond the 'can body B; This mains in-a horizontal plane. The respective width and V l spacing of thesectrack sections are such as to provide engag'ement of the. driving track" section 22 ronly with the end'sea'mDrof the can A, andengagernent of the truing tracksection 2 3: only 'with theout-of-rOtind portion of the bodygofjhe cana'tav place between the can end seam D and the-flange E 1; preferably adjacent the fiange but not ehgaging the flange. i

ent tread l flontthe driving Wheel 11 is substantially equal to the outer diameter of the end seam D of a can A to 7 be trued so that the endsearn of a can introduced between "'the wheel and itstrack' sectionj-ZZwill have continuous,

unif ornigfrictional driving engagement with the wheel and the-traclctsection. Thelspace' between the curved inner face ofih'e truin'g'tra'clt section 23 and the outer circumference' oiftheresilient tread18 on the truing wheel 12 is substantially equal to theftrue outer'diarneter of the body B of a can A to be trued, this space being concentric f with th'e space between the wheel 11 and its track section 22, the' two spaces having coincident curved centerrlines.

Hencea true round body will readily pass between the truing-wheel 1:2.1and the truing track section 23 without reformatiombut an'out-of-rou'nd body'will be forced bet ween the' se truingel'ementsby rotation of the can on its "f end 'searnand thus the body will be squeezed along its major diametrical axis, into rue round body formation.

'At its iupper end, the curved track 21 is secured tothe upright frame members 16'and projects outwardly at an angle.beyondthese",members and thus provides an upper inletr'chute member 25 for the introduction of cans A into theapparatus; The chute is completed by a spaced and parallellower chute member 26 which is disposed in spaced andf parallel'relation with the upper chute member 25 and lwhich is secured to this member and to the frame "member 16; Adjacent the lower ends or the frame members the track 21 treminates in an -oiutwardly and downwardly inclined track28 for the discharge of the tru'ed cans from the "apparatus.

Inoperation, a continuous procession of cans A, including-normally round cans and anyout-of-round cans that may-be mingled with them," the. latter. being marked X in' F-ig. 1Lareintroducedfrbm any suitable source of supply,1intothel apparatus byway of the inlet chute members.

25,::26.L[11e cans ro ll down the inclined chutes o'n' their 1 sidesgand enter into the spaceibetw'een the driving and truingzwheels 11, 12 and their (Jo-operating driving and truingitracksections -22, 23 with the end seam D of the cans entering between the driving wheel '11 and-it's" track section 22. The re silient tread 18 on the driving wheel 11 frictidnally engages against the end seam 'D of an incoming cari' thus presses'the seam into frictional: engage; ,rnentywith the driving track section 22 (seeFigs. and

He'ncejjas thedriving wheelll rotates,it also rotates the canand rolls it along the driving track section with e1 11 andl its: driving" track section .22 thus rotate ahaatt e sat e. n o its q ud n lrax s a sea:

arateand independent function of the machineand through this drivingaction rotatesand rolls-thezbody-of the can through the space between the truing wheel 12 and its co-operating truing track section 23' (see Fig. 4). During the-rotation of the bodies B of the cans A r through the truing space'betweenthe truing wheel 12 and thetruing track section 23, the major diametrical axis of the body ofan ont-ofi-round can X; is squeezed-preferably.

adjacent the body flange -E bfitween the truing wheel and the-truing track sectionto such an eggtentthat themetal ofthe outfof round body passes'its elastic limit and'there. by acquires a permanent set.- In this manner, an cut-4" V of-round can body as it traverses the truing track section 7 space between] the curved inner face of'the driving track section 22 and the outer circumference of the re sili theapparatus in which the driving and truingwheels-11,

12 of the preferredform are-cons' tructed as an integral single wheel 35 mounted on the drive shaft l4. The-outer; surface of the wheel 35"is formedwith a pairofconcentric truing face 38. The radius of the truing face is greater I than the radius of the driving face 37 by an "amount 'sub I stantially equal to the radial projection ofthe-end seam D;

beyond the can bodyB." 'Ihis'difi erencein-radii of the I fac's 37, 38 provides between thema stepped-relation which compensates forthedifier'ence between theoutside diameter of the-endseam D and-the outside diameter of the can body'B and thusprovides for contactwith the 1 1 seam and the out-of-r oundportionofthe body while the longitudinal axis of the canr'emain'sinfahorizontal' plane.

vThis two faced, stepped wheel Eco-operates with the track-'21; The driving-and the truingtrack sections-22,

22, while being rotated isreformedor returned toasubstantially true diameter 0; original; shape and is thus in a condition for the reception of its product andacover. h This condition obtains when the can reaches the terminal end of the track 21 and the can thereupon rolls down the discharge track 28' to any" suitableplace of'deposit.

:Durin v this travel through; the apparatus thenc'ans/A are confined againstendwise displacement, byguid'e bars 29 which I are" disposed at-opposite ends of the cans and extend adjacent the pathaof travel of the cans through-the apparatus. These bars are welded or otherwise secured,to bracket blocks 3.0 which are bolted'to the side'softhe track'21 and'the frame Mat-spaced intervals along the lengths of the bars.

Fig. 5 of-the drawings illustrates a modified form of stepped faces which constituteadriving face 37 and a 23 0f the track are disposed in radial alignment with the peripheries of the driving face-STandthe-trumg face 38 of the wheelfan'd extend arouud-the wheel in parallelism therewith as in the preferred form of the apparatus; The

width of the wheel faces 37, 38- are such as to provide engagement ofthedrivingfac 37only with the end seam D of the-can A and engagement of the truingface 38.'onlyf with the out-of-round p'ortion'ot' the bodyof thecan at and the driving track section 22 0i the tra'ck-;21-is substantially equal to the outerdiameter-oflthe end-seam D of a can A to be trued so that both thefdriving-face and the driving track section will frictionally'engage the outerperiphery of the can end ;seam-D --of a can introduced between these wheel face and track section elements. In

a similar mannerthe space between the'truing'face 38 .ofi the wheel 35 and the truing track section 23 of the track 21 is substantially equal to the true outer -diameter ofi' a a the body B'of a can-A to be-trued; this spacebeing con centric with' the space between the driving -tace 37 and the driving track section 22 ;the two spaces having' c n, cident curved; center lines, so as to compressfonly,theq

out-of-round portion of the .body alpng its major .dia-

metricalaxis while the longitudinal jaxis of th'e can. is

maintained in apredeterrninedjpositio I a r In this modified, form of the. Iapparatus,v the; operation J t of truing an out ofround c nrbody 'is substantially the;

am as ha fisflesi: ribe pre sr sda q me e entire! can being rotated on its longitudinal axis independently andseparately from the truing apparatus by frictional engagement of the driving face 37 and the driving track section 22 with the outer periphery of the end seam D ofthe can.- The rotation of the can rolls the can body B between the truing face 38 and the truing track section 23 and thus reforms the out-of-round can body to a true cylindrical shape as explained hereinbefore in connection with the preferred form of the apparatus.

A further modification of both the track 21 and the wheel 35 is shown in Fig.6. In this form of apparatus the track sections 22, 23 of the track 21 are separated by a clearance recess 41 and the driving and the truing faces 37, 38 are separated by a clearance recess 42. In this construction of the apparatus, the width and location of the two stepped faces of the integral wheel 35 and the Width and location of the two stepped track sections 22, 23 of the integral track 21 may be limited to engagement with selected portions of the can to perform different functions without interfering in any manner with other portions of the can.

Figs. 7 and 8 disclose a further modified form of apparatus in which the cans A to be trued are rolled along astraight line path of travel. In this form of the apparatus the entire can A is rotated or rolled on its longitudinal axis by engagement with the outer periphery of its end'seam D, by an endless narrow driving belt 45 and a driving rail 46 which extend for nearly the full length of the apparatus.

The driving belt 45 is disposed in a horizontal position and operates over a pair of spaced driving pulleys 48 located one at each end of the apparatus. The pulleys are mounted on a pair of spaced and parallel shafts 49 journaled in bearings 50 formed in upright brackets 51 secured to an elongated frame 52 which constitutes the mainframe of the apparatus. One of the shafts 49 serves as a main drive shaft and may be rotated in any suitable manner. A pressure or back-up bar 54 is disposed adjacent and above the lower run of the drivingbelt 45 to back-up this run of the belt. The bar at its ends is supported on brackets 55 secured to the upright brackets 51. v The driving rail 46 is disposed opposite and in vertical alignment with the driving belt 45 and extends in spaced and parallel relation to the lower run of the belt. This rail is bolted to the top of the frame 52. The rail is spaced away from the driving belt 45 a distance substantially equal to the outside diameter of the end seam D of a can A to be trued so that the end seam of a can introduced between the belt and the rail will have continuous, uniform, frictional driving engagement with both of these elements.

The truing of the out-of-round portion of the can A is eifected by a truing belt 61 and a truing rail 62. The truing belt 61 is disposed in laterally spaced relation to the driving belt 45 and operates over a pair of spaced pulleys 63 mounted on the shafts 49 adjacent the driving pulleys" 48. The radii of the truing pulleys 63 are greater than the radii of the driving pulleys 48 by an amount substantially equal to theradial projection of the end seam D beyond the can body. This diiference in radii of. the pulleys 48, 63, with the same thickness of belt on each pulley, provides between the belts a radially stepped relation which compensates for the difference between the outside diameter of the end seam D and the outside diameter of the body B and thus provides for contact with the seam and the out-of-round portion of the body while the longitudinal axis of the entire can remains in a horizontal plane.

A pressure or back-up bar 65 is disposed adjacent and above the lower run of the truing belt 63 to back-up this run of the belt. The bar at its ends is supported on brackets 66 secured to the upright brackets 51.

The truing rail 62 is disposed opposite and in vertical alignment with the truing belt 63 and extends in spaced and parallel relation to the lower run of the belt. This 6 rail is also disposed inspaced and parallel relation to the driving rail 46 and like the rail 46 is bolted to the top of the frame 52. The space between the upper or truing face of the truing rail 62 and the truing belt 63 is substantially equal to the true outer diameter of the body B of a can A to be trued, this space being horizontally aligned with the space between the driving belt 45 and the driving rail 46, the two spaces having coincident horizontally disposed center lines, so as to compress only the out-of-round portion of the body along its major axis while the longi udinal axis of the can is maintained in a horizontal plane. 4

The truing face of the truing rail 62 is higher than the driving face of the driving rail 46 by anamount substantially equal to the radial projection of the end seam D beyond the can body B. This difierence in height of the rails 46, 62 provides between them a stepped relation which compensates for the difference between the outside diameter of the end seam D and the outside diameter of the body B and thus provides for contact with the seam and the body while the longitudinal axis of the can remains in a horizontal plane.

The width of the driving and the truing rails 46, 62 is such as to provide engagement of the driving rail 46 only with the end seam D of the can A and engagement of the truing rail 62 only with the out-of-round portion of the body of the can at a place between the can end seam and the flange E, preferably adjacent the flange but not engaging the flange.

At the entrance end of the apparatus, the left as viewed in Fig. 7, the driving and the truing rails 46, 62 preferably are formed with inclined portions 68 to permit incoming cans to roll into position between the driving and the truing belts 45, 61 andthe cooperating rails 46, 62. Similarly at the discharge end of the apparatus the rails 46, 62 slope downwardly and outwardly in discharge portions 69 to carry the trued cans to any suitable place of deposit.

During their passage through the apparatus, the cans A are confined against endwise displacement, by guide bars 71 which are disposed at opposite ends of the cans and extend adjacent the path of travel of the cans. These bars preferably are welded or otherwise secured to bracket blocks 72 which are secured to the upright brackets 51.

In this modified form of the apparatus, the operation of truing an out-of-round can body is substantially the same as that effected by the preferred form, except that the can is rolled along a straight line path of travel. It should be understood that in this modified form of the invention the belts 4-5, 61 could be combined in a single stepped wide belt having an outer face corresponding to the face of the wheels 35 shown in Figs. 5 and 6 and in a similar manner the tracks 46, 62 could be made integral as shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

In all of these forms of the apparatus. and in the steps of the method, it should be understood that the same principle of operation obtains, the principle of driving or rotating a can by contact with a known true round portion of the can, which in practice is the end seam D, and through this-rotation, maintaining the longitudinal axis of the can in a predetermined position while guiding the out-of-round portion of the can between spaced truing elements which reform and return the outof-round portion of the can to its true original round shape.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction, and arrangement of parts of the apparatus mentioned herein and in the steps and their order of accomplishment of the method described herein, Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the; apparatus.- and method hereinhefore described being merely:a:.preferred embodiment-thereon 1.In aniapparatus for; ,truing an out-of-round body wall'of an open end substantially cylindrical container having-a radially projecting end seam at a closed end of the container and a, radially projecting flange at its oppositei-open-yeni'the combination of a pair of movable spaced parallel endless belt members having driving faces respectively engageable the projecting container end seam and with an axially spaced outer peripheral body wall portion of the out-of-round container between said end seam-and said flange, means tor'positively driving. one of saidbelt members,. a p air of pressure bars for respectively holding said belt members in engagement with the aforesaid axially spaced-portions .of said con tainer, and a track member disposed adjacent said belt members in spaced relation thereto, a portion of said track member holding the projecting end seam of said container against said driving faceof one belt member to effect. rotation of said container about its longitudinal axis, another laterally spaced and substantially parallel 7 .portionof-saidi track member being mounted to project towards said container body wall a distance greater than said? first mentioned track member,- said-another metrical pressure'against the out' of-round Wall-of said rotated body to reform said wall into true cylindrical container formation, said reforming ,diametrical pressure be-v ing exerted against the container body wall solely at a locality spaced axially inwardly of the container open end.

2. In an apparatus for truing an out-of-roundbody wall of anopen end substantially cylindrical container 7 having a radially projecting end seam at a closed end thereof and a radially projecting fiange at its opposite open end, the combination of a trackmember and a inovable member spacedfrom' said track member, said track member comprising an-end seam engaging section and a parallel body truingsection spacedlaterally therefrom adista-ncesubstantially the height of a container body, said body truing track section projecting toward-said movable 'member adistance greater than: said end seam engaging track section, said movablemember comprising a rolling means cooperating with said seam engaging track section to frictionally; rotate the container on its' longi tudinalaxis while passing therebetween and arotatable body truing means disposed in laterally spaced parallel relation tosaid rolling means a distance substantially the height of a container body, said rotatable body truing means projecting toward said-body truingf' track section in a direction transversely of an; interposed container a distance greater than-saidrolling; means, said rotatable body truingrmeans and said' bodyttruing track section operating with 'each' other-to exert a'diametrically opposed pressure radially inwardly against the interposed body wall portion of an out-of-round container solely at a locality-spaced axially inwardly of the container open endto. reform such body wall. portion; into truegcylindriealt configuration. Y

- 3; A methodofi truing the bodyz-wallstoiisubstantialljp cylindrical light weight-sheetmetal :containerseach having; an out-of-round-fiexible body wall; adjacent;:its :open

flangedend; and having: a: circular bottom'isecuredfitoi and closing its opposite end in a .nigidend seam,- said: I method comprisingadvancingand.simultaneously axially rotating said containerszbyiapplying; frictionalscontainer' x rotating pressure; directly againstsaid rigid end seams,

cylindrical shape of saidzbody wall portions pressure is released. a a

4. In an apparatus for truing: an out+of.=round bodywall of a substantially cylindrical container having alrigid radially projecting endlseam-ata closed'end thereof and a radially projecting flange at its opposite relativelyflexible I open end,the combination of a fixed arcuate track mem bet and a rotatable cylindrical container rolling and truing member disposed in concentric relation-thereto,

said track memberincluding acontainerend seam en-- gaging portion'and an integrally formed container-body truing portion" spaced laterally therefromasdistancesubstantially the height ofa containerbody, saidbodytruing track portion projecting radially' toward saidrotatzible member a distance greater than the -projection-there"-' towardsof said end-seam engaging track portion, said rotatable member including a-rolling portion cooperating with said se'amengaging track portion to fiictionally rotatethe container on its longitudinalaxis-.whilepassing F therebetween, said rotatable member; further includingm integrally formed body truing portion spacedi-laterally i from said rolling portion thereofra distance substantially the height 'ofgsaid container body-,2 said rotatable member body truing portion projectingtowa'rd' said trackmember and transversely of an interposed container'a'distance greatenthan the projection of said rolling portion 'to'-' wards said track member, saidrotatable member body tmingportion and said body truingftrack memberpor-i tion cooperating to exert a diametrically opposed pressure I. radially inwardly against the interposed body wall portion of an out-of round container solely at alocality spaced V axially inwardly of the container-openend to reform such body wallportion into true cylindrical configuration:

- References Cited in the file'of this patent v UNITED STATES PATENTS 241,424 1 Rolston i.May-.:10,;-188l? 1,071,945. Moon .JSept.[i'2,-j19. 13 r 1,113,196 Conoven .Oct; 13; 19114 1,810,819 Clark Junei1'6; 1931- 2,550,842 {McClure May 1; 1951 Drygulski Ju1y 3,'195'1* l 

